Colorado Centennial Farms seeks nomination applications from families who have owned and operated their farm or ranch for 100 years or more to be honored at the 24th annual Centennial Farms celebration held at the summer Colorado State Fair in Pueblo.

Farmers and ranchers nominating their property for this award must submit an application providing information about the history of their farm and its buildings by Friday, April 30.

Nominees must meet the following requirements to be designated a Colorado Centennial Farm:

• Farming or ranching properties must have remained in the same family continuously for at least 100 years.

• Each property must still be a working farm or ranch.

• Farms or ranches must have a minimum of 160 acres.

• However, properties with fewer than 160 acres can qualify if they gross at least $1,000 in annual sales.

History Colorado, the Colorado Historical Society, and the Colorado Department of Agriculture created the Colorado Centennial Farm Program in 1986 to recognize the important role that agriculture has played in the state’s history and economic development.

According to Steve Turner, Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer, the awards are intended to honor families who have maintained the integrity of their historic properties for over a century despite the economic challenges of modern farming.

The 2010 Colorado Centennial Farms awards will be presented at the Colorado State Fair in Pueblo in August. At the ceremony, award recipients will receive a certificate signed by the Governor and a metal sign to display on their property. In addition, the National Trust for Historic Preservation will recognize families who have maintained the historic buildings on their property that are 50 years old or older.